Tae kwon do kids don black belts at 6, 7

by Patty Talahongva - Jul. 31, 2008 07:23 AMSpecial for The Republic

Sounds of feet kicking and arms slicing through the air fill the practice room at Lee's Martial Arts Academy in Tempe. Years of training recently earned two young boys their black belts in tae kwon do.

Cameron McCormick is 7, and Jacob Organek is 6. They are among the youngest people ever to earn the rank of first degree black belt.

For Cameron, tae kwon do has been a lifesaver. When he was 4, his grandparents gained custody of him and his younger sister. He was an angry child and often had what his grandfather calls meltdowns.

Paul and Dona McCormick considered counseling for their grandson. It was Dona who came up with the idea of a martial arts class because the teachings include self-control and respect. At first Cameron didn't like the class because, he said, he was nervous. But that soon went away.

"I found out it was much more funner," he said. "They taught me to be nice to people."

He admits he used to hit his sister, but said now he doesn't.

"Because when they teach me I start thinking about being nice to my sister," he said.

Master Michelle Landgren-Lee, the co-owner of the academy and a sixth-degree black belt, said Cameron was "an amazing student from the start."

Jacob's mother Jennifer started him in classes at about the same time. Neither she nor her son's father has family in Arizona so the academy staff helps fill that void, she said. And the two boys got along and help each other in class.

"He's (Jacob) good at doing his forms," Cameron said. "He mostly needs help with his stuff. I help him."

The style they practice is called songahm tae kwon do. It's part of the American Taekwondo Association. And they are learning more than how to defend themselves. They focus on personal development of the mind and body.

"He's easier to parent," Mark, Jacob's father, said.

When Jacob starts acting up, his father gently suggests they talk to his instructors. He said that gets Jacob's attention and he settles down fast. It's the same in Cameron's case.

"He still has some anger issues but it's typical and manageable," his grandfather said. "After all, he's still just a 7-year-old boy."

Concentration is another part of the teachings. There are 18 moves to learn to earn a first belt, and 81 to get a black belt.

"He's not just memorizing a move, you have to be precise in how you breathe, where you look, how you hold your hand and how you rotate your hand," Mark said. "So when it comes to school and he has to memorize 50 states, that's nothing."

While the boys may feel a certain amount of pride in achieving such a feat, it's their parents who are more expressive. "The best feeling, the coolest feeling," said Mark about being the father to a 6-year-old black belt.

On the day of Jacob's graduation, they ran into another student from the academy. Students are taught to bow to black belts and greet them with a "Hello sir or ma'am." The 12-year-old green belt bowed and properly greeted Jacob. It was quite a sight for dad.

For more information on Lee's Martial Arts Academy, call 480-831-2124.